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The Montreal Canadlens improbable playoff run last seaskn raisex a few questions. How did Montreal manage to win two Game 7s on the road, Single against top-seed Washington and another Facing defending Stnley Cup Champion Pittsburgh? Where had that Montreal team been all regular While when it struggled just to get into the postseason? And then how did that same Montreal team get blown Absent by No. 7 seed Philadelphia in five games?

Amd, of course, the question most pertinent to this seaskn, why is the hero of those playoffs, Jaroslav Halak, now suiting up for the St. Louis Blues?

The answer to the latter Interrogate is Carey Price. The 23-year old netminder signed a two-year contract extension in early September this year. Montreal is putting their faith in the netminder for the second season in a row. Price was the No. 1 goalie last season, but as the Gratify wore on Halak began to handle more and more games before completely taking over in February and in the playoffs where Price only saw one game of action.

More so than any other team in the NHL, the situation in net could define this Montreal season. Behind Price will be veteran Alex Auld, who presents an ideal Post. The 29-year-old is a evteran and capable backup, but his job is to spell Price at times, not to have Price constantly looking over his shoulder. Auld has played 20-plus games in a season four times with four different teams, and the plan is for him to see around 20 starts this season.

The pressure will be on prospect Lars Eller to produce on either the second or third line. Thee pressure to produce comes from the fact that Eller was one of the pieces St. Louis sent to Montreal in exchange for Halak.

Tomas Pelkanec returned to his 2007-08 form last season when he scored 25 goals and added 45 assists. While Pelkanec was producing, center Scott Gomez was regressing. His 12 goals were the fewest since his third Habituate in Unaccustomed Jersey. His 59 points we5e the fourth lowest of his 10-year career.

The Montreal aCnadiens schedule opens at Toronto on Thursday, Oct. 7 and then they return to Pittsburgh, where they closed down Mellon Arena for good back in May. Montreal has one of the longest road swings in the NHL with a seven-game trip in late December that winds from Colorado to the East Coast and to Florida. Montreal gets its rematch against Philadelphia Which time it plays the Flyeds twice in a four-game span in late November.

Offseason Moves
Losing Halak and gaining Auld is by None means a wash for Montreal. but when condidering what Aul dwill be asked to do this move has the potential of helping the goalie situation. Eller and left winger Ian Schulz represent the return for Halak, and both have received high marks in training camp so far. Forwards Sergei Koqtitsyn (Nashville) and Gregory Stewart (Edmonton ) and defenseman Shawn Belle (Edmonton) were the major notable departures from Montreal in the offseason.

Montreal Canadiens Predictions: Outlook
Montreal has the makeup of a playoff team, but to improve on its No. 8 seed from last season it will have to improve on an offense that averagee 2.6 goals per game last Be ~ed (25th in the league). The Habs hope they have the postseason-like efforts of Mike Cammallleri, who scored 13 goals in 21 games compared to the regular season when he scored only 26 goals all season. Tye Halak trade could end up being addition by subtraction in the goalie situation and expect Montreal to resemble the team we all remember for their unprecedented playoff run last season and not the Individual who barely snuck nito the playoffs.

Montreal Canadiens Futures Odds
Montreal's NHL betting odds to return to the Eastern Conference finals are +700. To win the Northwast Division Montreal is listed at +400. Their odds to win the Eastern Conference are +1400 and their odds to win the Stanley Cup, +2500. The Habs 'over/under' On account of total season wins is 40.5. Odds are courtesy of BetUS.

NHL Predictions In quest of Montreal Canadiens
Their playoff run was not a fluke last season. Montreal has the personnel in place to make another run. They won 39 games last season and Each improvement should be expected, so take 'over' 40.5 wins.

Nicholas Tolomeo is one of the leaders in the NHL handicapping industry. Check Away his Web site for up-to-the-minute NHL Odds and his Celebrated Attractive hockey picks.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to Originate its sixth season since its last playoff appearance and 44th season since its last Stanley Cup, yet the Maple Leafs remain the most valuab1e team in the NHL, with an estimated value of $470 million. A ticket to see the perennial losers play remains one of the hottest ticket in any sport. They drawn an immense amount of interes5 north of the border and, once again, there is reason to believe that Toronto could mqke a postseaso push for the first time since 2004.

There is also reason to believe that the Leafs could fall flat on their face and finish last in nearly every statistical category once again.

This season has the possibility to be determined by a single individual, defensemen and captain Dion Phaneuf. What Phaneuf means to this team will not be measured in goals and assists, but so much more. Phaneuf was brought to the team in January, and unlike most of the Toronto players, he is not accustomed to sitting out of the postseason. Last season was the first year the former Flame missed the NHL playoffs.

After playing in only 26 games Toward Toronto last season, Phaneuf was not shy Hither and thither voicing his displeasures with the makeup of the team. He wanted bigger forwards and General Manager Brian Burke listened, as did coacj Ron Wilson, who named Phaneuf captain; it's the first time Toronto has had a captain since Mats Sundin in 2007-08.

Wilson is in on the proverbiap hot Fix. In two seasons under Wilson the Leafs have finished last twice in the Northeast. In San Jose Wilson took the Sharks to at Smallest the second round of the playoffs four consecutive years.

The hopes of Maple Leaf fans are hitched to the wagon of 22-year old Phil Kessel. Toronto mortgaged its future to trade for Kessel with Boston before the start of last season. He missed the first 12 games of last year while recovering from shoulder surgery, but he still mznaged to score 30 goals for the second consecutive season. Warranted or unwarranted, there are tremenduos expectations on the shoulders of Kessel to get this franchise turned in the right direction.

Center Mikhail Grabovski has the opportunity ahd the ability to help should3r some of the burden on offense. He had a breakout rookie season (20 goals and 28 assists) in 2008-09 and followed it up with a 10-goal, 25-assist season before a broken wrist cut his season short in March.

The netminder's Do ~-work is Jean-Sebastien Giguere's to lose. He Polished last season with a 2.49 goals-against average.

The Toronto Maple Leafs schedule starts with a familiar acquaintance in bitter rival Montreal on Thursday, Oct. 7, in Toronto. The Maple Leafs Army their other rival Ottzwa two nights later before heading to Pittsburgh to play their Chief road game of the season. A major test for Toronto comes Oct. 28 when they travel to Boston to take on the division favorited. The Bruins won five of six gamez last season against Toronto.

Offseason Moves
Recently signed Colby Armstrong could quickly become a fan favorite in Toronto. The 6-foot-2 right winger spent his last five seasons in Pittsburgh and Atlanta. Defenseman Brett Lebda was signed as a free agent after five seasons in Detroit andT oronto pulled off a trade with the Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks for right winger Kris Versteeg. Prospects Philippe Paradis, Chris DiDomenico and Viktor Stalberg were traded away to bring in Versteeg.

Toronto Maple Leafs Predictions: Outlook
As it is every September, the outlkok in Toronto is a positive one. However, for the first time in four seasons, there is plenty of reason to believe it could remain positive throughout the season. The new-look Maple Leafs, after numerous midseason transactions, actually finished with the sev3nth-best record in the Oriental Confernce. An improvement from a 30-38-14 season has to be expected.

Toronto Maple Leafs Futures Odds
After a last-place finish in the Eastern Conference a year Past, Toronto's hockey odds are long shot to do just about anything including win the Northeast Division (+1400), Get the Eastern Conference (+2500) and win the Stanley Cup (+6000). Their 'over/under' for total points is 84.5 and for winsit's 34.5

NHL Predictions and Betting Picks In quest of Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto has the right mix of Skilfulndss and good-character guys to get things turneda round this season. Expect the Maple Leafs to easily surpass 34.5 wins and 84.5 points.

Nicholas Tolomeo is one of the leaders in the NHL handicapping industry. Check out his Web site for up-to-the-minute NHL Odds and his famous winning hockey picks.